NIGHT GOODS EXPRESS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 77, 14 March 1935, Page 3

NIGHT GOODS EXPRESS

In your issue- of the 7th inst., appear two paragraphs under the above heading stating that this scheme was iroving very successful. This is unquestionably a ease oi the wish being lather to the thought, tor little acumen is needed te perceive that it is tar too early to predict either its success or failure To those who have watchea over and carefully checked its operations the claim of success is both extravagant and amusing. We ?hallenge the Railway Department to produce figures showing that the service has been a financial success. Naturally they have done all they could to boost it, even to tin extent at robbing the midday tram of almost the whole of its regular freight. Can the Railway Department deny that the truck late system is a special arrangement to undercut road operators and that the system may be abandoned at any time suitable to themselves, when the ordinary railway rates, which are m many cases higher than the road transport charges, will come into operate i..’ in tins connection it is most important tor the public to be told that the general railway tariff has definitely not been reduced. The main cargo which has been carried under the truck system so fails, it would seem, ol a class previously brought by boat, so that in supporting the scheme ratepayers and taxpayers are depriving their harbour (tor which presumably they voted) ot legitimate revenue in the shape ol wharfages on goods carried by steamer. Not only this but local carriers are losing the cartage on shipping freight Hom Hie port to the town and also to Hastings. It will come as a great surprise to the public of Hawke's liny to learn that tin* night goods express is being run ('ll <>ur opinion at a considerable loss) as far as the truck-rate system is concerned exclusively by a private company in Wellington. i bus, it the scheme shows a loss to the Railway Department, by supporting it, the taxpayers and others are not helping to reduce railway deficits, but on the central} are helping to increase them. Is the Railway Department ptepared to lose thousands oi pounds with the express object of attempting by uneconomical methods of competition to eliminate the road transport operators? No sane business executive would dream ot using the funds of Ins shareholders in tins foolish fashion, yet the railways are apparently doing so with the funds of the taxpayers ol Hus country. Quite recently the chairman of the Railways Board (wind) was appointed to make the railways pay) announced that although there had been a large increase in gross revenue receipts, the net revenue alter deducting updating expenses showed a considerably greater loss than last year. I ins is, ot course, only to be expected when tiny embark on f hemes ol this kind regardless of any losses involved. The question is how modi longer are the public ol New Zealand going to stand tor it. Me consider the local ( hambers ol Comim roe should call upon the I raiisporl Co-ordination Board to have an Investigation made into the Railway Department's operations with a view to stopping any wanton waste ol public' funds. As far as shipping freight is concerned, w t ' ourselves are prepared to assist the shipping companies 111 regard to less urgent cargo, and in this connection wo expect within the course ot a week or so to be in a position to quote through rates for goods coming by steamer from warehouse to retailers at Napier, Hastings and intermediate town.-, down to Da nne vii ke. I here have been pc i sistent rumours that we are going oli the road, but here again the wish is father to the thought. Readers will realise how ridiculous these assertions are, when we tell them that during the past two months we have purchased five new trucks. NAPI t R-W t LLINGTON-DAI L Y TRANSPORT OU. LTD. (Published By Arrangement.)